Navigating The Way - Eastward Philosophy
Navigating the Way – Week 2: Eastward Philosophy
IWeek 2 – Eastward Philosophy (Values)
People matter to Jesus. From the man set free in Mark 5 to the overlooked and forgotten around us today, Jesus goes where no one else will go. If people matter to Him, they must matter to us.
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Sermon Transcript: Why People Matter to Jesus
Do you ever just ask the question “why”? Any of y’all have kids who ask the question why? Or
remember when your kids went through that stage where they constantly asked why? Then there are
the little things in life that make you wonder “why.”
Like—why, no matter which line I pick at the grocery store, it’s always the slowest? Why is the word
abbreviation such a long word? Or why doesn’t phonics sound like it’s spelled? If it’s supposed to help
you sound things out, why doesn’t the word itself follow the rule? And here’s another: why do you park
in a driveway and drive on a parkway? Or why is it that the moment you finally pay something off, it
breaks down?
And here’s one that drives me crazy: why is it that when you lose something, as soon as you replace it,
you find the original? Anybody else experience that? This week, as I was preparing, I lost my right
AirPod. For two months, I walked around with only the left one in, determined to eventually find it. I tore
apart the house, looked through every pocket, cushion, drawer, and closet. I even found an Apple
Pencil that had been lost for a year, and one of Christa’s old AirPods. But the right AirPod? Nowhere.
Finally, I gave up and ordered a replacement. It arrived Tuesday. On Wednesday, I threw on a hoodie,
stuck my hand in the pocket, and—you guessed it—there was my lost AirPod. Come on, why does it
always seem to happen like that?
But let’s move from the small “whys” of life to some bigger ones. Why do you go to church? Why do you
worship God? Why do we make disciples?
Last week I preached hard on the importance of making disciples—so hard, in fact, I nearly lost my
voice. But even with all that passion, the question remains: why? Because if you know your what but
don’t know your why, you’ll struggle to accomplish your what.
Think about it. Jesus told us to make disciples. Some might say, “That’s enough for me. I’ll just obey
because He said it.” And that’s valid. But generally, if you only have a what without a strong why, you
won’t succeed. For example, lots of people say, “I want to lose weight.” That’s their what. But without a
compelling why, it rarely lasts. Trainers will tell you the same thing. If your why is “because I want to get
off this medication” or “because I want to live longer to enjoy my family and grandkids,” then you have a
reason strong enough to endure the discipline.
So again, why do we make disciples? Sure, answers like obedience, compassion, or concern for
eternity are good. But I want to boil it down into one clear statement: because people matter to Jesus.
That’s been my “why” for years. If people matter to Jesus, then my coworker, my classmate, my
teammate, my spouse, my son—they matter to me too. If they matter to Him, then I don’t want them to
go to hell. If they matter to Him, then I want to be obedient. If they matter to Him, then I care enough to
act.
This is our philosophy at The Rock. Remember our Compass? North is the mission—what we do. But
East is the philosophy—our why. And it’s simple: people matter to Jesus. Which means you matter to
Jesus.
To illustrate this truth, let’s read a story from Mark 5:1–20. Normally, I’d summarize or break it up, but
today I want to read it in full. Grab a Bible, open the Rock app, or follow along.[Reads Mark 5:1–20, NLT]
I love this story because it shows us exactly why people matter to Jesus. Let me pull out five truths:
1. Jesus goes where no one else will go. The Decapolis was a region full of idol worship, paganism,
and Gentiles. No good Jew wanted to go there. But Jesus did. Why? Because there is no place His
grace cannot reach—not a bar, not a slum, not a prison, not a high school. Not even the DMV! If people
matter to Him, we must also go where others won’t.
2. Jesus sees what no one else sees. The townspeople saw a demon-possessed man as good as
dead—so they put him among the tombs. But Jesus saw someone who could be restored to life. We’re
often quick to judge based on appearances, but Jesus sees the brokenness inside and doesn’t give up.
Educators, nurses, leaders—you may be the only one who truly sees someone’s worth.
3. Jesus values what others don’t value. The people valued 2,000 pigs more than one man’s life. At
today’s prices, that’s about $432,000 worth of livestock. But Jesus said, “This man’s life is worth
infinitely more.” Do we value people above money, time, convenience, or comfort?
4. Jesus restores what others remove. The townspeople cast the man out, treating him as dead. But
Jesus restored him—clothed, sane, and at His feet. Maybe it’s a marriage, a child, a friendship, or your
own life that feels beyond repair. Jesus restores what others abandon.
5. Jesus uses those no one else will use. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but instead Jesus sent him
home: “Go and tell what the Lord has done for you.” He became the first missionary to the Decapolis.
One man’s story reached ten cities. If Jesus can use him, He can use you.
That’s the heart of this passage. People matter to Jesus. Which means you matter to Jesus.
Some of you may feel unseen, undervalued, or discarded. But Jesus sees you, values you, restores
you, and wants to use you. That’s why He came, why He died, and why He told us to make disciples.
This is our why. This is the heartbeat of The Rock. People matter to Jesus. And because of that, they
matter to us.
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📘 Small Group Curriculum – Week 2Series: Navigating The Way
Week 2: Eastward – People Matter to Jesus
Main Text: Mark 5:1–20
Key Value: People matter to Jesus…so they should matter to us.
CONNECT: Opening Discussion or Activity
Option 1 – Opening Question:
Who is someone in your life that made you feel seen, valued, or believed in—even when others didn’t? What impact did that have on you?
Option 2 – Activity: “Spot the Value”
Write out different roles or types of people on index cards (e.g., CEO, janitor, prisoner, teacher, celebrity, homeless person, influencer, addict, refugee, politician, etc.).
Spread the cards on a table and ask the group to discuss:
“If you had to rank these people by how society values them, what order would you place them in?”
Follow up with: “How would Jesus rank them?”
DISCOVER: Breaking Down the Message
Main Text: Mark 5:1–20
Read the full story aloud. Then walk through the five truths we learn about Jesus in this story:
1. Jesus Goes Where No One Else Will Go
Mark 5:1-2
Jesus intentionally enters a Gentile, pagan, idol-worshipping region that Jews would normally avoid.
He goes through a storm (Mark 4:35–41) and arrives in enemy territory—for one man.
This shows there is no place His grace won’t reach: prison, addiction, broken homes, or hard conversations.
Discussion:
Why do you think Jesus intentionally went into a place others avoided?
What “places” do we avoid today—physically, socially, emotionally?
2. Jesus Sees What No One Else Sees
Mark 5:3-6
The man is naked, violent, outcast, and living in tombs. Everyone else saw a threat. Jesus saw a person.
He looked past the condition and saw the potential.
Discussion:
What would it look like to “see” people like Jesus sees them?
Who do we tend to overlook, ignore, or avoid?
3. Jesus Values What Others Don’t
Mark 5:7–13
The townspeople valued the pigs more than the man.
Jesus valued the man’s soul over the economy of the town.
True discipleship means valuing people over property, time, convenience, or comfort.
Discussion:
In what ways do we (or society) sometimes value stuff over souls?
What are some modern equivalents of “pigs over people”?
4. Jesus Restores What Others Remove
Mark 5:14–15
After Jesus delivers him, the man is dressed, sitting calmly, and in his right mind.
People removed him; Jesus restored him.
This is what Jesus still does—He brings peace, dignity, and wholeness.
Discussion:
What are signs of restoration in someone’s life today?
Have you ever experienced being restored by Jesus?
5. Jesus Uses Those No One Else Will Use
Mark 5:18–20
The man asks to go with Jesus, but Jesus sends him back to his region to tell his story.
He becomes a missionary to the Decapolis—10 cities that previously rejected Jesus.
The first evangelist to the Gentiles wasn’t Peter or Paul—it was a formerly demon-possessed man.
Discussion:
Why do you think Jesus chose to use this man?
What does this say about who Jesus can use today?
Supplemental Scriptures:
Luke 19:10 – Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
Psalm 139:7–10 – Nowhere is too far from God’s presence.
Isaiah 61:1–3 – Jesus heals, restores, and rebuilds broken lives.
1 Corinthians 1:27–29 – God uses the foolish and weak for His glory.
2 Corinthians 5:18–20 – We are Christ’s ambassadors.
RESPOND: Application & Challenge
Group Questions:
If people matter to Jesus, what should that look like in your daily life this week?
Who do you need to go to, see, value, restore, or believe in—just like Jesus did?
What’s holding you back from sharing your story or stepping into someone else’s?
What’s one practical step your group can take this month to love people others ignore?
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